Lamp module and lamp for vehicle including the same

Abstract

A lamp module includes a light source unit that generates light; and a light guide unit that emits at least a portion of the light incident from the light source unit to generate a beam pattern. The light guide unit comprises a light incident portion configured to receive at least a portion of the light incident from the light source unit; a light emitting portion configured to emit at least a portion of the light incident through the light incident portion; and a transmission portion disposed between the light incident portion and the light emitting portion and configured to transmit at least a portion of the light incident through the light incident portion to the light emitting portion. The transmission portion comprises a shield portion including an edge portion formed along a rear focal plane of the light emitting portion and configured to obstruct a portion of the light.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lamp module, comprising:
 a light source unit that generates light; and 
 a light guide unit that emits at least a portion of the light incident from the light source unit to generate a beam pattern, 
 wherein the light guide unit comprises:
 a light incident portion configured to receive at least a portion of the light incident from the light source unit; 
 a light emitting portion configured to emit at least a portion of the light incident through the light incident portion; and 
 a transmission portion disposed between the light incident portion and the light emitting portion and configured to transmit at least a portion of the light incident through the light incident portion to the light emitting portion, 
 
 wherein the transmission portion comprises:
 a shield portion including an edge portion formed along a rear focal plane of the light emitting portion and configured to obstruct a portion of the light that is incident through the light incident portion and directed to the light emitting portion, 
 
 wherein the edge portion comprises:
 a stepped portion; 
 a first edge that extends in a horizontal direction from a lower end of the stepped portion; and 
 a second edge that extends in the horizontal direction from an upper end of the stepped portion, and 
 
 wherein the stepped portion is disposed spaced apart by a predetermined distance from an optical axis of the light emitting portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The lamp module of  claim 1 , wherein the light incident portion comprises:
 a central surface; 
 protruding surfaces formed to protrude from an outer peripheral end of the central surface toward the light source; and 
 reflective surfaces for reflecting at least a portion of the light incident through the protruding surfaces toward the transmission portion disposed in front of the light incident portion. 
 
     
     
       3. The lamp module of  claim 1 , wherein the shield portion comprises a first surface and a second surface formed on a lower side of the transmission portion,
 wherein the first surface and the second surface are inclined in opposite directions along an optical axis direction of the light emitting portion, 
 wherein the first surface has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is closer to the light emitting portion and disposed above the second end, and the second surface has a first end disposed closer to the light emitting portion and a second end disposed above the first end, and 
 wherein the edge portion is formed at a junction between the first end of the first surface and the second end of the second surface. 
 
     
     
       4. The lamp module of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance is determined based on a width of the beam pattern to be formed by the lamp module. 
     
     
       5. The lamp module of  claim 4 , wherein the width of the beam pattern is determined by a curvature of the light emitting portion. 
     
     
       6. The lamp module of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined distance increases as the width of the beam pattern increases. 
     
     
       7. The lamp module of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lens unit that transmits at least a portion of the light emitted from the light guide unit, 
 wherein the lens unit comprises a light incident surface for receiving at least a portion of the light incident from the light guide unit; and a light emitting surface configured to emit the light incident through the light incident surface, and 
 wherein the light emitting surface comprises a plurality of optical elements arranged in at least one direction. 
 
     
     
       8. The lamp module of  claim 7 , wherein the light incident surface is convex rearwardly toward the light guide unit, and the optical elements are planar. 
     
     
       9. The lamp module of  claim 7 , wherein the light incident surface is planar, and the optical elements are convex forwardly. 
     
     
       10. A lamp for a vehicle, comprising a plurality of lamp modules arranged in at least one direction to generate a beam pattern,
 wherein each of the plurality of lamp modules comprises:
 a light source unit that generates light; and 
 a light guide unit that emits at least a portion of the light incident from the light source unit to generate the beam pattern, 
 
 wherein the light guide unit comprises:
 a light incident portion configured to receive at least a portion of the light incident from the light source unit; 
 a light emitting portion configured to emit at least a portion of the light incident through the light incident portion; and 
 a transmission portion disposed between the light incident portion and the light emitting portion and configured to transmit at least a portion of the light incident through the light incident portion to the light emitting portion, and 
 
 wherein the transmission portion comprises:
 a shield portion including an edge portion formed along a rear focal plane of the light emitting portion and configured to obstruct a portion of the light that is incident through the light incident portion and directed to the light emitting portion, 
 
 wherein the edge portion of each of the plurality of lamp modules comprises:
 a stepped portion; 
 a first edge that extends in a horizontal direction from a lower end of the stepped portion; and 
 a second edge that extends in the horizontal direction from an upper end of the stepped portion, and 
 
 wherein the stepped portion of at least one of the plurality of lamp modules is disposed spaced apart by a predetermined distance from an optical axis of the light emitting portion. 
 
     
     
       11. The lamp for a vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined distance varies from one of the plurality of lamp modules to another of the plurality of lamp modules. 
     
     
       12. The lamp for a vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein at least two of the plurality of lamp modules generate beam patterns with different widths, and
 wherein the predetermined distance varies depending on the widths of the beam patterns. 
 
     
     
       13. The lamp for a vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of lamp modules are arranged gradually advancing or gradually receding from a first side to a second side in a vehicle's width direction. 
     
     
       14. The lamp for a vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of lamp modules further comprises a lens unit that transmits at least a portion of the light emitted from the light guide unit,
 wherein the lens unit comprises a light incident surface for receiving at least a portion of the light incident from the light guide unit; and a light emitting surface comprising a plurality of optical elements arranged in at least one direction to emit the light incident through the light incident surface, and 
 
       wherein the plurality of optical elements of each of the plurality of lamp modules are in a terraced arrangement gradually advancing or gradually receding from a first side to a second side in a vehicle's width direction.